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Simple Compositing

Everyone loves to be awed by movie magic, and you can bedazzle your audience using our simple compositing tips that reveal the Secret of See Through Layers.

Compositing is omnipresent. It would be nearly impossible to watch a Hollywood film or an hour of television and not see some sort of compositing. Some films, such as Zack Snyder's Spartan epic, 300 (2006), is nearly all compositing. But what is this technique, and how do we who have less than a Hollywood budget use it?

Compositing is the combination of two or more images to form a single final image. The six o'clock news meteorologist standing in front of a weather map is a good example. The map is not really behind this person, nor is it projected. The composite is made in the "booth," where a video engineer combines the feed of the live meteorologist with the image of the map and the icons of clouds, the sun, names of counties or towns, etc.

Another great example of common composites is lower thirds. These can be static graphic or flashy motion visuals which usually identify a person and his profession. You find them often in news programs, documentaries and sporting events such as football and baseball games. Similarly, titles in films, commercials and music videos use this graphic type of compositing.

Now, I know what you are thinking: "Ah, I get it, computer-generated effects." But not all compositing is the product of microchips. George Melies, a stage magician working in France over one hundred years ago, often gets credit for being the first compositor for moving pictures. Melies admired the works of film pioneers, the Lumière brothers, in 1895 and was inspired to combine some of his sleight-of-hand with film. His famous 16-minute, black-and-white film, A Trip to the Moon (Le voyage dans la Lune, 1902) can still be found pleasing audiences over a century …